Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-28
A MOST sALUBRIOUs CLIMATE.
Wonderful and Inexhaustible Re
sources-Water System for Ir-
rigation-ResuIts of Its Use.
HOME OF THE ORANGE. LEMON
AND FIG.
Success of the Thermalita and Other
Colonies-Sketch of Fruit and Grain
Growing-Public Institutions
and Business Houses

In tie shadows of the great mountains
on the banks of the Feather river, and
overlooking the wide valley of the Sacra-
mento, stands Oroville, "the Gem of the
Foothills" The Feather river drains a
large and rich area of the warm western
slope CT the Sierra Nevada-larger and
richer than the valley of the Connecticut.
the Mohawk or the Miami. This drain
age basin is rich in its deposits Of precious
and useful metals and minerals; in its grea t
forest-belt of pines, frs and cedars; in its
warm, rich soils, and in a winteriess eli
mate unexcelled on earth. No country on
this continent presents so many localities
for picturesque homes as this. There are
deep, fertile valleys, gently-sloping hill
sides, grassy table-lands, dark gorges deep
canyons and great stretches of evergreen
forests. Hundreds of clear streams take
their rise on the higher range, and pour
down the mountain sides in cleaning tor
rents, dash through the canyons and
gorges, whirl in CLASSY pools at the feet of
overhanging cliffs and giant forest trees
through the high basaltic wall that sepa-
rates the foothills from the plains and en-
ters the broad valley below.
HISTORY OF ORoyILLE AND VICINITY.
At the mouth of this gateway to the
mountains is the city that is to command
and control the trade and traffic of this rich
region when its vast possibilities have been
developed. What these possibilities are
will here be briefly but comprehensively
stated for the benefit of the home-seeker
the health-hunter and the capitalist. The
history of Oroville and the surrounding
country commences with the discovery of
gold and the in-pouring of the eager gold
hunters in 1S49. Feather river and its
tributaries presented rich deposits of the
precious metals, and mining camps sprang
into existence along the whole length of
their courses. Where Oroville now stands
rich dlggings were found, and camp was
formed and called Ophir, after the famous
mines OF sacred history. This mining and
trading camp bore that name till 1854,
when, upon the establishment of a post
office, the name was changed to Oroville
In the earlier days other places in the
Feather river basin had a greater trade and
larger population than Oroville, but the
advantages of location, at the gateway of
the mountains, the
NATURAL CoNYERGING POINT
For all the trade and travel Of so large a
country, gradually gave Oroville q prosper
ity that distanced all her rivals. Merchant IS
with capital, enterprise and large stocks OF
goods established themselves there and il
soon became the depot of supplies tor the
whole basin. In 1888 patent was issued
for the present town site, and in the same
year license was granted and a public
ferry established. In1S54 the POstoffice was
established. From that time the growth
OF the place was rapid, and Oroyille be-
came one of the largest and most promi-
nent trading points in the new Ell Dorado
Brick-yards were opened and brick blocks
built; bank was established hotels built
opened and filled with guests
STEADY STREAM OF GOLD
Poured in, and as steady stream Of min
ing supplies was sent out. The business
OF the place was simply enormous. AT the
election in 1856, 2,200 votes were cast by
people living within three miles Of the city.
and the population OF the place and its
immediate vicinity was estimated at more
than 6,000 At about this time Oroyille
became the county seat, and it has re-
mained so to the present time. An extended
description of this city and the Feather
river basin during the gold era does not
come within the purview of this article 1t
is our purpose only to give plain, truth
ful description of 0roville and her sur
roundings at the present time, and the adj
vantages it offers TO those in search of
homes